


Ten Reasons

by ChillyHollow



Category: Cormoran Strike Series - Robert Galbraith
Genre: Complicated Relationships, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-21
Updated: 2020-03-24
Packaged: 2021-02-23 13:21:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 3,068
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23245396
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ChillyHollow/pseuds/ChillyHollow
Summary: Robin tries to talk herself out of being interested in Cormoran
Relationships: Robin Ellacott/Cormoran Strike
Comments: 25
Kudos: 55





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Another silly posting to help distract and entertain everyone.

Robin looked at the blank sheet of paper in front of her and frowned.She was used to making lists—she was normally pretty organized—but this was a little too much.Still, if it got her to stop thinking about Cormoran “that” way, it was worth it.She paused for thought, then wrote:

** Ten Reasons I Should Not Date Cormoran **

~~C is my boss~~

~~C is my mentor~~

C is my partner

That was valid.Working with someone you were having an affair with was fraught with danger.What if you broke up and never wanted to see each other again?It would certainly be awkward working with an ex in such a small office, particularly if things went as sour as they had with Matthew.Robin did not want to give up the job she loved. Of course she couldn’t see Cormoran being as petty as Matt, but wouldn’t icy politeness be almost worse? 

C isn’t interested

Of course being interested in him was moot as Cormoran would certainly never be interested in her.He saw her as a friend and colleague, that’s all.He dated gorgeous women exclusively.The only girlfriends of his she’d seen ranged from really attractive to drop dead gorgeous.She wasn’t in that league.She wasn’t bad-looking, but on her best day all she had in the plus column was “pretty" and “young.”Certainly neither of those things would last for all that much longer, either.Then there was the fact that she was inexperienced with men.She’d barely kissed anyone else besides Matt, much less slept with anyone.She was sure Cormoran wouldn't want a girl friend who was as innocent as she was.

C and I have nothing in common

Cormoran Strike was well traveled and well read, with a rich and famous father. She was a small town girl from rural north Yorkshire whose father was a partner in a sheep farm.What did they have in common?Well, they had the agency in common.When they were on stakeout together there were always things to talk about.But that was far different when you were in a romantic relationship, wasn’t it?She had to admit she didn’t know.Her only love interest had been Matthew, whose conversation was limited to himself and his interests.As long as she stuck to those topics, they could talk.She didn’t know what other couples talked about.She could ask Ilsa….

C doesn’t want a family

Cormoran had never shown signs of wanting an exclusive relationship, one with a wife or kids. (Well, except for getting engaged to Charlotte.)But she couldn’t see him married, with a wife waiting for him to get home from stakeout, or with kids.She’d always wanted to get married and have a family.Not right now, of course.She wanted to get settled in her career first.But someday she was sure she did want a family.She couldn’t see Cormoran as a family man.The two of them had totally incompatible goals there.Any relationship with him would be fleeting.She wasn’t interested in one night stands. She wasn’t going to sleep with someone unless she was really committed to them. Commitment and Cormoran didn’t seem to fit together, especially not when the word “marriage” was being considered.

C is too distracting

Lord knows she was having a hard enough time concentrating today when Cormoran walked through the office with her favorite shirt on, the one that made his eyes greener, his sleeves rolled up to reveal muscular forearms.She couldn’t imagine what it would be like to see him looking so sexy if she actually knew what he was like in bed. Maybe he’d be boring?No, she didn’t believe that.She had seen his sexy smile when he greeted Lorilei while he was dating her.There was no way he wasn’t great.Besides, what if you had uncontrollable urges just before a client was due?That would be torture.Not that she wasn’t torturing herself right now.

Mum would hate it

She knew her mother liked Cormoran when she first met him, but she blamed him for Robin’s getting hurt.She wanted her mother to like someone she dated, if she ever dated anyone.Maybe she’d come around if it was Cormoran, maybe she wouldn’t, but at first she’d certainly be upset and worried.Her mom still hoped Robin would find someone and settle down back in Masham.That wasn’t going to happen, not with Robin’s career being in London, but her mother still hoped.She’d be angry with Cormoran if Robin dated him because not only was their job dangerous, he would be keeping Robin from going back to the little town where she grew up. 

Matt would crow

If she did start dating Cormoran, Matthew would tell everyone that they’d been having an affair all along.He’d always been jealous of Cormoran.This would be another way for Matt to justify cheating on her.Not that she cared what he, his family or anyone else thought, but in a small town these things spread whether there was any truth to them or not.She didn’t like being talked about, even if it was all lies.

It would risk friendships

She knew that when a couple broke up, their friends and families choose sides.She would likely never see Matt’s sister’s baby again.Tom Turvey probably never wanted to see her either.Not that they were friends, really, but he would ignore her if they accidentally met, not wanting to be reminded that she’d discovered his fiancee was cheating on him.She really liked Ilsa and Nick but they were very old friends of Cormoran’s.If forced to choose sides, they would choose Cormoran.She didn’t want to risk the best friends she had in London over a relationship that might be fleeting.

It would break my heart

If she and Cormoran did have an affair, it would be very tough when they broke up.She knew he had a string of relationships since she’d worked with him.If she became just the latest in a long line of girlfriends, it would really hurt when he moved on.And it probably would continue hurting.Robin knew herself.She felt things deeply.Best to just keep oneself safe by keeping away from Cormoran Strike. 

Well, that’s only nine reasons but all of them were good ones.Robin sat looking at her list, trying to come up with a tenth reason to not date Cormoran.As she sat there, fiddling with her pencil, thinking, she began to remember Cormoran’s sweet smile as he’d handed her the tea he’d made her this morning.Darn it! 

Cormoran opened his office door just in time to see Robin angrily crumpling up a sheet of paper and tossing it into the trash.“You ok?” he asked. 

She looked up, embarrassed.“Just nonsense.How about some more tea?”


	2. Reason Number Ten

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had not intended more chapters and not thought of Cormoran's response if he found Robin's list but folks asked and the muse said this.

Later that afternoon Cormoran decided to reward himself with a cup of tea after finishing a report.Robin had headed out to do some library research so he had the office to himself for now.He filled the kettle with water and set it to boil while he washed up all the tea things in the sink.That chore done, he poured hot water over his tea bag and looked around to see if the trash bin needed emptying.He could do that chore while his tea steeped.The bin was only half full but he spotted a wadded up ball of paper on the floor.Grabbing the ruler out of Robin’s desk drawer, he knocked it towards him and picked it up.

Two words were visible in Robin’s handwriting. _Date Cormoran_

Was there an appointment she had forgotten to tell him about?That wasn’t like Robin.He unfolded the paper to see what she had written.

_Ten Reasons I Should Not Date Cormoran_

_C is my boss_

_C is my mentor_

_C is my partner_

_C isn’t interested_

_C and I have nothing in common_

_C doesn’t want a family_

_C is too distracting_

_Mum would hate it_

_Matt would crow_

_It would risk friendships_

_It would break my heart_

Although stunned, he did notice there were only nine items on the list.He grabbed his mug, then took his tea and the crumpled note back to his own desk to think.

He read the list over again.She’d forgotten the item he would have put as number one on the list of reasons Robin shouldn’t date him—C is ten years older, disabled, fat, and R deserves much better.

Cormoran sipped his tea.He was strongly attracted to Robin, and had spent most of the time she’d worked with him trying to ignore those feelings. The attraction had only worsened as he got to know Robin and realized how kind, smart and hard-working she was.She was right, an affair between them did risk the business.How could they handle a romantic attachment during their long working hours?What would happen when they broke up?He thought Robin was right that losing her might break his heart, or at least damage his will to live.He’d had a long look at life without Robin after he’d fired her.It wasn’t something he wanted to repeat.These were reasons to chicken out, good ones.

She was wrong they had nothing in common.They had the business, they were very similar in their outlook in life, they both were curious about other people and they loved books and movies and music. 

She probably wasn’t wrong that her mother wouldn’t like it and that her ex husband would use it against Robin any way he could.But those were minor issues in his mind, although they were important to Robin.He had to keep that in mind.Would it risk her friendships with Ilsa and Nick if they broke up?He didn’t think so.Ilsa and Nick weren’t that sort.

He was flattered she found him distracting.That meant she felt the attraction he felt, too, something he had never been sure of.He supposed that they’d both been very good at hiding their feelings toward each other.Apparently he had been very good at pretending he wasn’t interested in Robin. He hadn't thought she was interested in him romantically either.

Did he want a family?He had not thought seriously about it.His early life had been rootless and he’d replaced that life with his military service where he was sent here and there without any say in the matter.He supposed he had meant to marry Charlotte and settle down.He had loved Charlotte, but if he’d not been injured he did not think he would have proposed to her.But for sure if marriage and kids was what Robin wanted, he would take that leap. 

That was what a relationship was, anyway.Taking a chance, a risk.They had a lot to loose: the business, their friendship.But not taking that step, what were they giving up out of cowardice?He had a choice here.He could put this list back in the trash and pretend he’d never seen it.Or he could take a chance and see if Robin was willing to jump into the unknown with him, despite all the risks.


	3. Meet Me at the Tottenham?

Robin got back to the office by late afternoon, dying for a cup of tea.Cormoran was out but he’d left her a note on her desk.She hung up her coat and made herself a cup of tea before sitting down to read what he’d left for her. 

She took a sip of tea, relaxing, then looked at Cormoran’s note which was written on the back of a crumpled piece of paper.Wait.Robin frowned.

The note read:

_Robin, I have surveillance the rest of the afternoon.Want to meet me at the Tottenham at six for a drink?And maybe dinner.We have a lot to talk about._

_You forgot Number 10—C is too old, fat, and disabled for R who deserves better._

In horror Robin turned over Cormoran’s note and found it was written on the back of her list from this morning.How had he found this?!She turned the sheet back over and kept reading. Might as well know the worst.

_You are also wrong about Number 2.C is definitely interested, but just as good as hiding his interest as you have been at hiding yours.You are wrong that you aren’t attractive; real beauty comes from a kind heart, intelligence, hard work and a solid moral code.You have all that and more.I’ve been with beautiful women.Trust me, you come out well in a comparison with them._

_Your other points are all valid but I wanted to address the most important ones:the risk to the business if we start a relationship and it fails, and whether at some point I might want marriage and kids._

_I’ve never found someone I wanted to spend my life with, create a family with, not even Charlotte.I did ask her to marry me but if I had not been wounded and she hadn’t been so good to me then, I probably would not have proposed.I’ve seen what life is like without you in it when I fired you.It wasn’t pretty.I never want to repeat that._

_The question is whether we want to risk the business and risk a life together based on mutual attraction, shared interests, and the business we love.I’m willing to go all the way, Robin.Are you willing to take my hand and jump into the unknown with me?There are risks but I think there might be great rewards for us.I hope so._

_If you don’t agree, if the above list outweighs everything I’ve said, just text me you can’t make it to the Tottenham and we’ll forget I ever found this on the floor._

_C x_

Robin sat at her desk a long time, her tea forgotten.Then she picked up her phone and texted Cormoran.

_I’ll be at the Tottenham at six.You bring the alcohol.I’ll bring parachutes._

_R x_


	4. Deploy Parachutes

When Robin got to the Tottenham just before six p.m. Cormoran was seated in the back at a little table with a beer in front of him and a glass of wine for her, waiting.He looked anxious.Robin felt anxious herself.She managed a weak smile at him, took off her coat and sat down.He said, “I wasn’t sure you would show.”

“I said I’d meet you here.And I meant it.”

“No second thoughts?”

“No second thoughts on my part, Cormoran, but we do need to settle some things first if we are going to start...dating?”

“What things?” he wanted to know.He sounded nervous.

“We run a business together.We have to keep any romantic relationship out of the business side of our lives.We can’t let a fight we have about what to watch on tv spill over into how we handle cases. “ 

He looked at her and gave her the smile she loved.“Agreed.We have to remember our business life is separate from our personal lives together.You mentioned dating, Robin.I want to do this right.I’d like to take you to dinner, go to a museum with you, just take walks and hold hands.I don’t want to rush you into bed.”

“Durn,”Robin said.“I was looking forward to the jumping into bed part.”

“Me, too.But it doesn’t feel right.This isn’t just a quick trip to the bedroom for me, Robin.You know that, don’t you?I’m serious about you.”

“I’m also serious about you, Cormoran.And I’m nervous.I’m not very experienced with men.What if I don’t measure up to all the women you’ve dated?”

“Look, Robin, I’m not nearly as young or handsome as your ex and you’re not nearly as beautiful as many women I’ve dated.But that’s not what draws me to you.You are more than physical appearance, just like I am.I think we’ll be good together.We are alike in many ways and we complement each other in other ways.I think we’ll be the same with a more physical relationship. After all, we've both had proof that a good-looking partner like Charlotte or Matthew isn't a guarantee of a good relationship.”Cormoran took her hand in his and held it.They looked at each other, both feeling trepidation and excitement.

“You’re protective, Cormoran, and I like feeling cherished but you can’t worry about me obsessively if we’re a couple.”

“That’s going to be hard.It would kill me if something happened to you.”

“Try putting yourself in my shoes.You have to let me stretch my wings a bit.I promised I won’t do anything crazy and I promise to talk to you about anything that might be dangerous.We’ll take every sensible precaution.You are in danger, too, you know.What we do has an element of risk and there’s no way around that.I accept that risk and you have to allow me to do that.I can’t be locked away in a closet because something might go wrong.Promise?”

“I can’t promise not to worry, but I can promise to talk to you about it and together we’ll come up with a plan to make sure this isn’t too much of an issue for us.I want to make this work, not smother you.Will you let me know whenever I am getting too protective?If we talk, we can figure it out.”

They each took a sip of their drink, thinking. 

“Are you sure you want to risk this, Robin?”

“For you I’d risk anything.”

“I feel the same.”Cormoran half stood, leaned across the table and kissed Robin on the lips.Somehow it was right that their first real kiss, and it was a warm and loving kiss, was at the Tottenham. 

“Now, where would you like to go for dinner?”

“You know, Cormoran, I love the burgers and chips here.Can we have our first real date as well as our first real kiss right here?”

“Only if we have our second real kiss here, too.” 

And that was the first night of their lives together.


End file.
